6.9.2008
Sunil C. Perera in Colombo

Sri Lankan student Amarasingham Jeevan will meet President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat as part of a youth peace-building programme taking place in Nicosia next week.

Jeevan, 25, from Battaramulla, was selected from hundreds of young people around the world to take part in a weeklong programme of activities relating to the theme “Conflict and Beyond” as part of the Commonwealth Youth Leadership Programme. The event comes just a week after long-awaited reunification talks between the Cypriot President and Turkish Cypriot leader are due to commence.

As well as discussing conflict resolution with the respective leaders, Jeevan, along with 28 other gifted youth delegates from 21 Commonwealth countries, will take a rare tour inside the Green Line with UN Peacekeepers and participate in workshops with the UNDP and British Council.

Jeevan is currently studying at the Human Rights Institution of Sri Lanka and works for the Foundation for Co-Existence, one of Sri Lanka’s largest NGOs focussing on building peaceful relations between different ethnicites and cultural groups.

Amarasingham will bring valuable knowledge and experience to the programme which aims to inspire leaders of tomorrow.

“It is from a young age that one needs to passionately believe in a cause in order to instigate positive change. I think young people are able to inspire and galvanize as effectively if not better than anyone of a senior age.”

The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) is an international Non-Governmental Organisation working to promote an understanding of the nature and working of the Commonwealth, and of the factors which shape the lives of its peoples and the policies of its governments. The RCS is supported by a worldwide membership of over 10,000, with self-governing branches, honorary representatives and affiliated organisations in 39 countries and territories. The international headquarters are in London.

The Commonwealth Youth Leadership Programme (CYLP) is also known as “Nkabom”, meaning ‘coming together’ in the Ghanaian language of Twi. It is a biennial project organized by the RCS running from 14-21 September. It directly precedes the RCS International Meeting, running in Cyprus from 22-27 September, which brings together RCS branches and membership from across the world.